Help with titration schedule?

Hi,

 

I have just reinstated to 2,5 mg last night after going cold turkey for 10 days, after taking diazepam for about 5 weeks irregularly, about 2,5 mg's a night, because I had stress and started sleeping bad again.

 

In the past (2014) I have taken diazepam 10 mg per night for over half a year, and tapered for about a year (2015-16), but after the taper, which was difficult, I have been benzofree for over two years.

 

Because this time I took 2,5 mg not every day and a low dose, I thought that I could stop without trouble, but as all the horrific withdrawal symptoms returned, I have realized I am more sensitive to this diazepam because I have taken it in the past and an old brain path has been woken up. So that's why I decided to reinstate, but because I take such a low dose, I want to taper in small steps, but for not too long.

 

Is it also possible to titrate with 100 ml instead of 300 ml for example? And take out 2 ml every day from 2,5 mg per day dose?

 

I do not want to take this Benzo for longer than needed, but want my taper to go smooth as well, to be able to keep working and do my running trainings (I have ran my first marathon 4 months ago, and am training for a new one, but I have found that after cold turkeying for a few days, I even did not have energy to run more than 7 km anymore with a very high heart rate...). So I was thinking about taking this again for max 6 weeks or so... not longer than I have taken it, even irregularly, but I realize that I have build up a base level again, otherwise I wouldn't have had withdrawal symptoms.

 

I already feel normal again after taking 2,5 mg last night, although a little restless and high heart rate, but able to face the world again, yesterday I still felt like a wreck and totally hopeless..

 

Please advise!

Girlamsterdam :

 

You will do this. Builder and WavesOnTheShore and OregonKatz are all titration gurus - hopefully one of them will step in and help you with a plan. I am not a titration guru but will say that Builder gave me a great plan and I am doing a DLMT now - slow and steady and much smoother.

 

 

IMO, if you were just taking 2.5 mg, a few times a week, for a few weeks, I would just stop.

 

You might experience some WD sxs for a while, but they will subside.  Going on a regular dose to do longer taper is just going to strenghten any dependency.

Hi,

 

I have just reinstated to 2,5 mg last night after going cold turkey for 10 days, after taking diazepam for about 5 weeks irregularly, about 2,5 mg's a night, because I had stress and started sleeping bad again.

 

In the past (2014) I have taken diazepam 10 mg per night for over half a year, and tapered for about a year (2015-16), but after the taper, which was difficult, I have been benzofree for over two years.

 

Because this time I took 2,5 mg not every day and a low dose, I thought that I could stop without trouble, but as all the horrific withdrawal symptoms returned, I have realized I am more sensitive to this diazepam because I have taken it in the past and an old brain path has been woken up. So that's why I decided to reinstate, but because I take such a low dose, I want to taper in small steps, but for not too long.

 

Is it also possible to titrate with 100 ml instead of 300 ml for example? And take out 2 ml every day from 2,5 mg per day dose?

I do not want to take this Benzo for longer than needed, but want my taper to go smooth as well, to be able to keep working and do my running trainings (I have ran my first marathon 4 months ago, and am training for a new one, but I have found that after cold turkeying for a few days, I even did not have energy to run more than 7 km anymore with a very high heart rate...). So I was thinking about taking this again for max 6 weeks or so... not longer than I have taken it, even irregularly, but I realize that I have build up a base level again, otherwise I wouldn't have had withdrawal symptoms.

 

I already feel normal again after taking 2,5 mg last night, although a little restless and high heart rate, but able to face the world again, yesterday I still felt like a wreck and totally hopeless..

 

Please advise!

 

Hello Girlamsterdam-

 

Sorry you are having all those horrible symptoms. You got off benzo once before, you can do this again 

 

Here is a simple plan to get off 2.5mg Valium in approx. 6 weeks starting out using 25ml of a 1mg=10ml solution. If you find this to be to fast, you can always adjust your rate. I enclosed a link so you an use the program to make adjustments or print the schedule.

 

Put 10mg V in 10ml alcohol. Add 90ml water. Everyday reduce .50ml(.05mg)

 

Day 1 take 24.50ml

Day 2 take 24.00ml

Day 3 take 23.50ml

etc...

 

Example:

  click image

 

This program is where you can print or modify the above schedule Create Your Own Taper Plan by Jim Hawk It may be helpful if you check out the Help function prior to using the program.

If you need more help just ask ...we are here for you! 

 

 

 

 

 

@[Bu...]

 

I have been taking diazepam in the past for one year (2014), 10 mg's a day, because I had sleeping trouble. After that, I tapered dry cutting during a year (2015-16), after I experienced a lot of trouble and bizarre withdrawal symptoms during my cold turkey which was imposed by my doctor because the withdrawal effects would last only a few days... And made me have to stop working fulltime because I just couldn't cope. I however went into a long taper, which I prolonged because I was also drinking alcohol because I felt so bad and detached from the world and very depressed and inferior to a lot of people because I felt worthless.

 

I have been off Benzo's for two years. Untill I found an old strip in my house, had been sleeping a little bit less in the last period and started taking diazepam, around 2,5 mg's, irregularly since the beginnen of January (2019). On the sixth of February 2019, I stopped, because I felt I had been taking too long and would be ending up again in needing it daily.

 

After three days, the withdrawal symptoms hit me hard. I started have high heart rate (not unnervingly high, but feeling it all the time when lying in bed, so cannot lie still or sleep and getting into a panic attack which ended me in throwing up because my panic was so high), feeling disconnected from the world and feeling so much inner tremor, that when talking to other people I have to concentrate really hard on what they say to be able to understand it.

 

I had been staying at my parents, because I thought, that if I hit withdrawal symptoms, I could better not be alone. I talked with my parents about reinstating, but they first didn't want to and I don't fully trust myself when I am alone in my house in Amsterdam and want to escape the panic. So last Saturday, after 10 days off, I took my first dose of 2,5 mg's again and that night, I felt better and slept at least. During the Sunday, I felt fine too, went running, had a date with a friend at a terrace and when going to bed, I felt the panic coming up again. I didn't sleep during the whole night and the fact that I went to work yesterday, was a sheer miracle.

 

I think I have woken up the old path that hadn't been walked in some time, but feel that I am not going to survive if I stay at 2,5 mg, so yesterday I updosed myself (without my parents knowing), at 7,5 mg's for one day. I at least slept and am kind of functioning at work today.

 

I do want to do a taper from now on, but feel like I need to start tapering from a higher level than 2,5 mg's to be able to stay functioning, do a taper with dry cut first and switch to titrating later on in the process. So which level would I have to start dry tapering on? And for how long?

If, this time, you have only been taking 2.5 MG per day, I would suggest against tapering from a higher amount.

 

When in withdrawal, it is tempting to run to the drug for relief, but it will give you a longer road to travel. If you have only been taking 2.5 recently, that is the amount you are currently dependant on. The reason that dose doesn't seem like enough right now is because you are in withdrawal from stopping the drug. It is temporary and will go away on its own.

 

The fact that your solution to the withdrawal symptoms was to take 3 times the normal amount is concerning. It may require some self control to get through this, for you. But if what you want is to get off the drug, for good, I would recommend tapering from the 2.5. The symptoms will not last forever, and they will not kill you. Just hold on and you will make it through.

Thanks waves on the shore, for your reply. Will the withdrawal effects from the drug stop when I am stabilized on it again? I shouldn't have taken this higher dose, I agree with you. But I was in so much sheer terror that I could not understand the world around me anymore and afraid of virtually everything, that I fucked up again with starting to take this pill... I didn't have these symptoms before I stopped taking the pill and this started three days after. I felt fine and had no tolerance symptoms...